The utilization of plate heat exchangers in many commercial or manufacturing operations has markedly increased over the years because of the numerous inherent advantages possessed by plate heat exchangers as compared to other types of heat exchange equipment (e.g., shell and tube). Some of the inherent advantages include (a) versatility and flexibility to effectively meet various heat exchange demands; (b) improved control of end or terminal temperature differences; (c) varying the number of plates to increase or decrease capacity; (d) restreaming or rearranging the flow-paths so as to better control pressure drops; and (e) reduce maintenance costs.
While the inherent advantages are numerous, prior plate exchangers are nevertheless beset with one or more of the following shortcomings: (1) plate warpage; (2) the plates are costly to manufacture because of the need for corrugations, dimples, buttons, or the like to be formed therein in order to maintain the desired spacing between adjacent plates; (3) an inordinate amount of entrapment or incrusting of particulates occurs within the flow-paths because of the size, shape, and number of the spacers disposed within the flow-paths; thereby, seriously impeding flow therethrough; (4) special gasket and bonding materials are required to assure proper sealing between the plates during operation of the exchanger; (5) the plates can only be mounted in one relative position, thereby restricting placement of the heat exchanger at only one location on the job site; and (6) because of problems regarding structural integrity, the length of each plate was restricted (e.g., not more than eight feet) thereby reducing the percentage regeneration capability of the plate.